9 January 2021 – Consul General Evelyn D. Austria-Garcia today joined the Filipino-German Community of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart who highlighted the 500^th Year Anniversary of the Arrival of the Image of Sto. Nino in the Philippines during their virtual celebration of the 27^th Sto. Niño de Cebu Sinulog Festival, which was streamed live via the Facebook page of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart (@pmgstuttgart).

In her remarks, Consul General Austria-Garcia commended the devotion among the Filipino Catholic Community in Germany to the Sto. Niño and how it has taken root within the Filipino culture and how the Sinulog Festival has become an expression of our Catholic faith. “This year’s festivity is particularly special as the country celebrates the 500th anniversary of the arrival of the image of the Señor Santo Niño in the Philippines. We remember the story of how Ferdinand Magellan and his crew were able to indoctrinate the natives in 1521, some 500 years ago and underscored that though some may see the image of the Sto. Nino as one of colonialism, it can also be argued that Filipino natives at that time were baptized of their own free will,” the Consul General said.

Among those who delivered messages during the online event were Ambassador Ma. Theresa Dizon de Vega and Philippine Honorary Consul in Stuttgart, Dr. Axel Neumahr, as well as Filipino and German religious and community leaders including the Most Reverend Archbishop Jose S. Palma D.D. of Cebu, Reverend Father Eligio Suico of Archdiocesan Shrine of Guadalupe, Cebu, Brother Roy Paraiso of Archdiocese of Freiburg, Germany, Reverend Father Jonathan Ramose of Filipino Chaplaincy in Stuttgart, and Mr. Alfredo Silacan, President of the Sto Nino Group Rottenburg-Stuttgart.

The Sinulog Festival also featured musical numbers from members of the Manila-based Imusicapella Chamber Choir and Sinulog song and dance performances by members of the Filipino-German Community in Stuttgart. Due to the expanded COVID-19 restrictions mandated by German authorities until 31 January 2021, this year’s celebration of the Holy Eucharist in honor of the Sto. Nino was cancelled. END

4 December 2020- The Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt, in collaboration with the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), conducted today an online talk entitled “Engaging the Filipino Community in Germany in Promoting the Philippine Performing Arts” with Mr. Calvin Millado, CCP Vice President and Artistic Director, as guest speaker. The online talk was aimed to cultivate appreciation, gather support and engage the Filipino-German community in promoting the Philippine performing arts. The activity was conducted via Zoom and Facebook live.

In her remarks, Consul General Evelyn D. Austria-Garcia thanked CCP Vice President Millado for taking the time to engage with members of the Filipino-German community and present them with new artists, art forms, ideas and stories. She emphasized that the online event was an opportunity for the CCP to broaden its audience and create a meaningful collaboration with foreign communities. She also called on the diaspora in Germany to become partners of the Consulate and CCP in promoting the performing arts industry of the Philippines.

“Beyond entertainment, the performing arts has a strong educational purpose, provoking our thoughts, critical thinking and social dialogue. There is a need for the Philippine performing arts to be supported and nurtured, especially during situations like the one we are currently experiencing,” the Consul General said.

CCP Vice President Millado delivered a presentation enumerating the CCP’s artistic programs and contents on alternative platforms in response to the COVID-19 pandemic situation. He also underscored CCP’s goal to protect the lives and livelihoods of the cultural workers, while continuing to deliver educational and inspiring contents to Filipinos. He introduced the CCP Arts and Culture Online, which streams videos of the theater, dance, visual arts, film, literary and workshop events from the CCP’s Cultural Content Digital Archives. Some sample video clips of these digital contents were shown during the event.

Vice Consul Fatima Mueller introduced the Filipino-German community, and explained ways to leverage the community in promoting the Philippine performing arts.

Some 31 participants from the Filipino-German community organizations, social media groups and vloggers in Germany, as well as the Consulate’s and CCP’s personnel joined the lively Zoom discussion.  The online event reached about 1,370 people, garnered 655 views, 34 likes, 20 comments, and 18 shares on its initial livestreaming. END

Shown in the photo above are (from left to right, top row) Deputy Consul General Emil Fernandez, Atty. Delmer Cruz of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Berlin, Mr. Jerome Bunyi of the Office of the Agricultural Attaché in Brussels, (from left to right, bottom row) Mr. Edwin Pasahol of the Bureau of Small & Medium Enterprise Development-DTI and Consul General Evelyn Austria-Garcia.

23 November 2020, Frankfurt – In collaboration with representatives of key Philippine government agencies, the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt conducted its latest webinar last 21 November focusing on business opportunities for overseas Filipinos, including those affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

With COVID-19 continuing its onslaught, the numbers are devastating.  According to the Department of Labor and Employment, nearly half a million OFWs have lost their jobs thus far.  In the Philippines, more than 4.4 million workers have been displaced.

“With the pandemic affecting the economy and traditional sources of income, it would be timely for many to consider business opportunities back home.  There are sectors that are resilient to economic downturns, especially those that provide essential goods and services.  Through various programs, we have several agencies doing their utmost to support our affected kababayans,” said Consul General Evelyn Austria-Garcia.

Among the online event’s resource speakers were Mr. Edwin Pasahol of the Bureau of Small & Medium Enterprise Development of the Department of Trade & Industry, Mr. Jerome Bunyi of the Office of the Agricultural Attaché in Brussels and Atty. Delmer Cruz of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Berlin.  Deputy Consul General Emil Fernandez moderated the activity, including its question-and-answer session.

Since the onset of the pandemic, the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt has organized monthly online discussions to keep its constituents apprised of relevant developments.  (END)

Atty. Delmer Cruz, Labor Attaché, POLO (topleft), Ms. Sylvia Gabriel, Welfare Officer, OWWA (top right), Ms. Mary Jessielyn Sia, SSS Representative (bottom left) and Ms. Mylene Lontoc-Pintor, Pag-IBIG Representative (bottom right) served as resource speakers during the Consulate’s webinar on POLO, OWWA, SSS and Pag-IBIG Services.

26 October 2020, Frankfurt – The Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt conducted last 24 October a webinar on POLO, OWWA, SSS and Pag-IBIG Services. The webinar is the third online event of the Consulate for members of the Filipino-German community in its jurisdiction.

In her welcome remarks, Consul General Evelyn Austria-Garcia extended her warmest greetings to the resource speakers and participants for spending their Saturday morning to participate in the webinar. She noted that the coronavirus has affected Filipinos everywhere especially the Overseas Filipino Workers. For those who have decided to weather the pandemic in Germany, the Consulate is committed to supporting and assisting our kababayans, Consul General Austria-Garcia underscored.

Consul General Austria-Garcia added that a seminar on the same topic was initially planned to be held last June as part of the Consulate’s Barrio Fiesta event for the annual commemoration of Philippine Independence but was cancelled due to the German Government’s Covid-19 restrictions. Last year’s seminar was held on-site at the newly-opened office of the Consulate in Frankfurt.

Pictured above are Consul General Evelyn Austria-Garcia (above) and Consul Rogelio Villanueva, Jr. (below), as they participate in the Consulate’s webinar.

Representatives from POLO, OWWA, SSS and Pag-IBIG served as the resource speakers. Labor Attaché Delmer Cruz discussed the mandate of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO). As the operating unit of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) abroad, the POLO is guided by its twin objectives of implementing the country’s labor policies and programs to facilitate employment and protecting the rights and promoting the welfare of Filipinos working abroad. He discussed POLO’s special programs to help OFWs cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and provided tips to OFWs who intend to travel to the Philippines for vacation.

Ms. Sylvia Gabriel, Welfare Officer, delivered a presentation on the various services offered by OWWA to its members. She encouraged OFWs in Germany to register or update their membership with the OWWA to ensure full coverage and assistance. She also spoke about OWWA’s reintegration program and collaboration with other government agencies to provide livelihood assistance to returning OFWs especially those displaced by the pandemic. Both the POLO and OWWA are located in the Philippine Embassy in Berlin.

The presentation on SSS services was delivered by Ms. Mary Jessielyn Sia of the SSS Representative Office in Milan, Italy. Ms. Sia expounded on the contributions, benefits and loans for overseas Filipinos in the country’s pension fund and its efforts to make services more accessible through online platforms. Members can now apply for loans through the My.SSS Portal and pay their contributions through the online payment facility of Rewire, Ms. Sia added. With seven benefits available to members, contributions to the SSS should be seen as long-term savings and not an expense, she said.

The fourth speaker of the webinar was Ms. Mylene Lontoc-Pintor, Member Services Officer of the Pag-IBIG Fund Overseas Post in Milan, Italy. She informed everyone that Pag-IBIG is offering promo rates for regular housing loans until the end of the year. She endeavored to correct the view that the Pag-IBIG Fund is solely for housing loans. Ms. Lontoc-Pintor said that Pag-IBIG provides an excellent investment opportunity through its Regular Savings and MP2 program which offered significantly higher dividends at 6.73% and 7.23%, respectively, in 2019. Through the Virtual Pag-IBIG, application for membership, loans and records check as well as payment of contributions are now easier, added Ms. Lontoc-Pintor.

The webinar was capped with a question-and-answer session, as viewers were able to post their questions through the FB’s comments section.  The activity was held via Zoom and simultaneously streamed live in the Consulate’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/PHinFrankfurt/, where it may still be viewed by interested parties.  Eighty-three attendees viewed the live proceedings and a video recording of the webinar has been shared 43 times and seen over 3,500 times in just 24 hours.

For the months of November and December 2020, the Consulate shall be conducting a webinar on “Livelihood Programs of DTI, DOLE and DA” as well as virtual “Christmas Performance” to celebrate the upcoming holidays, respectively. (END)

Isang taon na ang Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) sa Berlin! This anniversary video from the POLO-team revisits the highlights of what has been a brimming and fruitful year for the office.